Surprise Kiss
by eyecanread
Summary: Katara is spending time in the Fire Nation and she hopes to spend some time with her friend Zuko. He comes to her with a slightly different take on their relationship. How does she respond?


Disclaimer: This is a work of a fan, and for entertainment only. I make no profit from this.

**A/N: More Zutara madness. I hope you enjoy.**

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**Surprise Kiss**

Katara breathed in the fresh air that accompanied the dawn. This place was nothing like her home, but it truly did have an alluring beauty to it. She'd stepped out onto the balcony of her Fire Nation palace apartments. They weren't really _her_ rooms, just the ones she frequented while on diplomatic and social visits. Though the latter seemed few and far between.

Today was going to be one of those rare instances. True, she'd come here to deliver a message from her people, but the Fire Lord had assured her that _today_ would be solely for them. She sighed in spite of herself, it would be wonderful to just sit and talk to Zuko. They'd both been so busy lately that they hardly saw each other when she was here.

As if summoned by her thoughts the Fire Lord strolled onto her balcony, his hands clasped behind him. "Good morning, Katara," Zuko said, greeting her as he approached. He wore a pair of burgundy breeches and a light outer robe that he'd left untied. He'd kept his hair down this morning and it glistened like a raven's wing in the early morning sun.

It didn't even cross her mind to be affronted that he'd come into her quarters unbidden and unannounced. "Good morning, Zuko." She smiled, pleased that he looked very relaxed today. He'd said he would take the day off so they could spend some time together and he was true to his word. She'd been in the Fire Nation for over a week and she'd only seen him for a few minutes in that span.

She felt nervous around him, as if she were fourteen again, though she was reticent to pinpoint the cause. It was a feeling she'd gotten the first time they'd met except now it _wasn't _accompanied by a terrible dread. Now whenever it came upon her this feeling managed to unhinge her normally cool demeanor. Recently she thought she'd worked past all this, after spending so much time in the Fire Nation as an ambassador. Such was obviously not the case.

She tore her gaze away and looked out at the scenery again, but with much less actual seeing. She ran her fingers through her long hair, she'd let it grow after the war and it was well past her waist. The humidity of the Fire Nation tended to make it a bit frizzy but she kept it manageable.

Unbeknownst to Katara her simple actions had a profound affect on her companion. She was startled when he turned her suddenly into his arms and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was sweet and chaste and it stole the breath completely out of her. She stared blinkingly at him when he let go. Her mouth hung open from the shock and she was having trouble forming thoughts. "Z...Zuko?"

He kept one hand on the small of her back and took one of her hands in his free one. He rubbed the skin on the back of her hand with his thumb. His touch sent little rivulets of pleasure up her arm. "I've missed you."

Her mouth opened and closed but no sound made its way out. He'd taken her totally by surprise. When he'd said there was something special he wanted to talk to her about today this wasn't even close to what she'd been expecting.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," his voice and eyes were tender. "I'd planned on working up to that later in the day, but you're beautiful this morning, and I couldn't wait a second longer."

She hesitated, not sure what she was feeling was true. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little thrown." She was positive that wasn't what he wanted to hear.

He withdrew his arm from her and took a slight step back. He didn't seemed crushed by her pronouncement, instead steeling himself with a fixed determination. "I understand. Maybe I should come back later after you've had some time to think."

He let go of her hand and took another step back but his eyes never left hers. His movement caused her body to react violently. She trembled uncontrollably, and panic started to clamp down on her throat. She grabbed hold of the front of his open robe. "Zuko!"

He smiled with the corners of his mouth, not in a mocking way, but gentle. He didn't move to take her back into his arms, only waited for her to gather herself.

"Why me?" her words were soft and breathless, nothing like the strong Waterbending Master that she was.

He raised a hand and stroked her cheek with the back of his warm fingers. "You're in my heart, Katara, you always have been. Only recently have I discovered I don't want to live my life without my best friend by my side."

She was trembling anew when he bent slightly towards her. "I love you." The three words were whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her hair. Her eyes shut of their own volition and she gasped for air. Her grip on his robe was turning her knuckles white and crushing the fine silk between her fingers.

He straightened but remained stationary. She finally reopened her eyes but her sight focused no higher than her own hands. He was still and quiet, she would've sworn he'd become stone except she was keenly aware of the movement of his chest as he breathed.

She knew she had to say something but words had fled from her. She tried to normalize her breathing but she still wasn't going to look him in the eye. The minutes seemed to pass and the two of them didn't move.

Katara was beginning to overcome her initial shock, she loosened her grip and laid her hands flat on his chest catching sight of the scar left by his sister. "I don't know if I'm right for you," with that statement she looked into his golden orbs.

Zuko had an expression on his face like he thought she was joking. He opened his mouth to say something, but what he saw in her eyes told him she was entirely serious. He frowned as he studied her. "Why would you say something like that?" He didn't hesitate now, he pulled her into his arms. He held her close as if she might float away if he didn't pin her to him.

Katara sighed and rested her temple on his chest. "I'm grumpy often, especially with you. I'm not Fire Nation so you're people will hate me. I'm not even royalty."

Zuko tapped his hand on her back so that she'd look at him again. He stopped her tirade with a shake of his head. "My people already love you, and if they don't accept you I'll banish them." He grinned cockily and was gladdened when a small smile broke on her lips, relieving some of the tension from her face. "You're one of the Avatar's teachers, one of the saviors of the world," he continued lowering his voice, "not to mention you're a princess in my eyes."

She blushed and looked away. She stayed silent as she thought, but it was evident by her true smile that she was happy. "You didn't say anything about me being grumpy."

She looked at his face when he didn't say anything. She could have struck him, he was only barely containing a laugh. "Zuko!"

"What?" he said in his defense. "Your temper is part of you. I for one like it when your angry, it gets my blood pumping." She blushed again but held their gaze.

There was a deep love shining from his golden orbs and she wondered why she hadn't noticed it before. She slid her hands up to cup his face. She raised herself on her toes and just as her lips brushed his she paused. "I love you too." Her eyes slid shut as he met her in a warm kiss.

Maybe this was home after all.

**End**

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**A/N: If you remember reading this before you are correct. I posted this one a while back but it got removed because of a stupid mistake on my part. I assure you I didn't steal this, I _am_ the author.**


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